Animated imitation hearth fire



March 14, 1933. F A n- ET AL 1,901,294

ANIMATED IMITATION HEARTH FIRE Filed June 30, 19:50

QvZfavv W 35 1 ATTORNEIIK Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED: STATES;

PAFTEQVINT OFFICE K FR NK A. enrr'r AND rirmroirsrnw nnor innr nArousymnrAng,AssIeNoRs o A enrr'r, mconronA'rEn, or InnIAnArous, INDIANA, A CORPORATION or INDIANA ANIMATED mirrArroiv HEARTH ma Application file d June 30,

This invention relates to apparatus whereby to provide imitations of hearth fires and substances. therein adapted to represent combustionable material such as wood or coal, the invention having reference more particularly to apparatus adapted to equip a fireplace in imitation of a hearth fire with a simulation of animation for natural fire flame effect. I

An object of the invention is to provide an improved fireplace of such construction as to afford a realistic imitation of a hearth fire and likely to create in the mind of the observer such pleasurable impressions as a result from the observation of a real hearth fire. A 4

Another object is to provideimprovedapparatusj whereby to obtain novel effects in a fire-place of a building'in simulation of a log fire and which shall be adapted to be arranged in association Wlth'ZLHCllIOIlS or firedogs thatmight be found in place.

A further object is to provide an improved apparatus that shall be of such construction and unitary group arrangement as to be adapted to be installed either in a conventional fire-place orin an imitation fire-place, and whichshall be capable of imitating extremely longfiames of fire appearingto emanate from a fire log. 7

A still further object is toprovide a unitary hearth fire apparatus which shall beof such construction as to be adapted to be manufactured at small cost, conveniently shipped at low rates, readily installed in. a

simple manner and shall be adapted to be durable and economical in'use. p

With the above-mentioned and other objects in view, the inventi0n consists in novel apparatus constituting means whereby to simulate a hearth fire having prominent tongues of fire as appearingin the back por tion of a fire-place the invention consisting also furtherrin the novel parts and combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter particularly described and further defined in the claims appended hereto.

Referring to the accompanying drawing,'Figur'e 1 isa front perspective view of a fire-place and hearth fire substantially 1930. Serial no; 464,952.

in accordance with the invention; Fig.12 is a vertical transverse v section, approximately through the median portion of Fig. .1; Fig; 3 is a horizontal" section of the fire-place and top plan of theapparatus as arranged therev in to fully attain the objects of theinvene tion; Fig; 4 is a front elevation ofv an;, im-, proved reflector as preferably constructedto constitutean importantelement of the in; vention; and Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view of an imitation log or logs constructed so as to be adapted to be a base to support various parts of the improved apparatus,

Similar reference characters in the differ, ent figures of the drawingindicate corresponding elements or features of construction herein referredto in detail. A As explanatory of the accomplishment of the inventiona familiar fire-placeyis illustrated and comprises a hearth orv base 1, aback wall 2, side walls 3 and land. a roof 5, which maybe a-built infeature of a dwelling or may be a unitary portable shell-like imitation of a fire-place adapted to be inserted into a dwelling w all for ornamental purposes in the fireplace; ,a fuel holder, preferably a pair of andirons G and 6, are suitably arranged and usedto support imitation combustible material which, in furtherance of the invention comprise itation fire wood logs 7 and 8 integrally mouldedtogether of suitable materialalsa shell without aback portion, the rearward edge. of theshell being adapted to constitute a frame which preferably is recessed so as to have a bearing seat 9 and cavities 10 and ll'with a dividing rib 12 in which there is an opening 18 to represent space between thelogs which appear to be arranged'one upon another, the fronts of the logsbeing roughened and colored-in imitation. of tree bark. The shells of the logs preferably have also suitable openings 14 and 15 in their walls which may be in imitation of knot holes or ofholes caused by fire. Preferably a pile of imitation ashes 16v is arranged .on the hearth to represent accumulations resulting. from burned logs. A

In accordance with preferred construction,

v ash pile.

being adapted to be supported upon the beams of the andirons, a bracket arm 17 is secured to said lower portion and extends rearward, the arm having branches 18 and 19 on its end adapted to be supported upon the andiron beams. The bracket arm sup ports a socket 20 for an electric lamp 21 so as to be opposite to the fire-place back walL. A suitable reflector 22 is arranged soas to be'behind the imitation logs and forward of the lamp, facing the back wall 2. The openings in the logs are covered by colored translucent material preferably consisting of a translucent sheet 2 3; which is arranged and suitably secured on the seat 9 so as to be between the logs and the back of the reflector. The reflector preferably is composed of pliable or flexible metal, such as sheet aluminum and preferably is slightly corrugated with relatively angular reversely pitched breaks or lines 24 and 25 so as to distort the light reflected thereby in a novel manner to cause realistic flame simulations 26 on'theback wall 2, the flame'efl'ect being primarily caused by rotors or light-interrupters' 27. The reflector has a suitable number of openings 28 therein to permit the passage of light directly from the-lamp through the openings in the imitation logs, the light passing also under the lower log to the hearth and ashes thereon; and preferably the lower edge of the reflector has a notch 29 therein the better. to illuminate the A shade or light-intercepter 30 is arranged between the lamp and theback wall 2 to prevent light rays from directly reaching the backwall, and its front surface may be adapted to turnxthe light rays forwardly. 1

The rotary light-interrupter is of that type which has a crown-shaped upper portion so asto permit light to pass upward at an angle fromthe lamp to the reflector 22 which reflects the rays upward at a reverse angle onto the back wall 2 so as to produce the fire flame effect sufliciently high to be seen over the top of the upper leg- 7. Practically a rotor may be and in some cases is sufliciently large to extend about the shade which may be in such case supported directly upon the lamp instead of the particular arrangement herein illustrated in the interest of clearness of View.

Preferably a translucent sheet or plate 31 is arranged at the bottom of the log or the lower one and extends rearward so that light from the lamp shall pass through it to the hearth; and, if it be desired that a slight glow appear on the ashes and the'hearth, the sheet 31 may be integral with the sheet 23 which is tinted to produce a flame color effect.

structurally the reflector may be variously supported so that it can be carried unitarily by thelog structure, and it may be provided with braces 32 supported by the log structure.

The face of the back wall 2 is covered by blended colors or tints to give flame color eflect.

In practical use the electric lamp generates sufiicient heat to cause surrounding air to rise and pass through the rotor and act on the blades thereof to urn the r t r, the e ult being light is reflected onto the ba wall 2 on which light and shadows are produced by the action of the rotor which interrupts the continuity of the light from the lamp, the shadows appearing as moving laterally and upward as ton ues of flame 26on the colored wall. A simulation of flickering fire is seen through the openings in and between the logs and also below the lower log quite realistically.

What is claimed is: V 1 1. An animated imitation hearth fire having-a backless imitation log shell with open, ings therein, colored translucent material seated in the log shell covering the opening's, a lamp arranged rearward of the lower portion of the log shell, a distorting reflector arranged between the log shell and the lamp and facing towards the lamp, the reflector having openings therein to admit light from the lamp to the translucent material, and a rotary light-interrupter mounted upon the lamp.

2. An animated imitation hearth fire having an opaque imitation log front member provided with an opening in the wall there.- of and a colored translucent sheet covering the opening at the back of the wall, a lamp and a rotary light-interrupter thereon arranged opposite to the rear portion of the log front member, and a distorting reflector arranged between the lamp and the log front member and facing towards'the lamp, the reflector being taller than the lamp and having an opening therein for passage of light to the translucent sheet. I

3. An animated imitation hearth fire including an opaque imitationfuel unit structure having separate openings therethrough, a bracket fixedly supported by the lower portion of the structure, an electric lamp' and a shade therefor mounted on the bracket, the shade being behind the lamp, a rotary light-interrupter mounted upon the upper portion of the lamp, a distorting reflector arranged between the lamp and the unit structure to reflect light rays upward at an inclination over the top of the lamp, and a sheet of translucent material arranged between said openings and the lamp.

L The combination of a fire-place hearth and a back wall, andirons arranged on the hearth, an imitation log supported upon the andirons and provided with an arm projectingbetween the an-dirons towards. saidback wall, the arm having lateral branches extending onto the andirons for support, an electric lamp and a shade therefor mounted on said arm, the shade being'between the lamp and said wall, a distorting reflector arranged behind the imitation log and facing towards said Wall ona higher level than the lamp, the reflector being curved partially about the lamp, and a rotary light-interrupter mounted upon the lamp and operating over the top of the lamp.

5. An imitation fire including a fire-place with a tint colored back part, an imitation fuel unit on the fire-place opposite to the back part, an electric lamp arranged in proximity to the back part of the fire-place, a dis torting reflector arranged opposite to and facing the back part to'turn back light rays from the lamp onto the back part, the reflector being horizontally nearly co-extensive in width with the back part and curved partially about the lamp, and a' light-inter rupter mounted rotatably upon the lamp.

6. An imitation hearth fire including a fire-place with a fire color tinted back part,

an imitation apertured fuel unit on the fireplace opposite to the back part, an electric lamp arranged in proximity to the back part a of the fire'place, a shade arranged between the lampand the back part, a sheet of trans-- lucent material arranged behind the fuel unit and being co-extensive therewith to extend across all the apertures therein, a distorting reflector arranged opposite to the back part between the lamp and the trans- V lucent material and curved partially about the lamp, the reflector being co-extensive with the fuel unit and the translucent sheet and having openings therein, and a light-interrupter rotatably mounted upon the lamp.

In testimony whereof, we affix our signatures on the 24th day of June, 1930.

FRANK A. GRITT. FENTON STEWVART; 

